Tasty Tuesday: Beef & Guinness Stew

Welcome to Tasty Tuesday! Each week, I will seek out some new fun international recipe to share. I hope this will 1). be able to bring a little taste of the world to your home and 2) keep myself updating this blog on a regular basis 🙂

Since today is the beginning of March and March is the month of St. Patrick’s Day, my first Tasty Tuesday post comes from the Emerald Isle.

I love all things Irish. It’s a big part of my heritage. I love the music, the language, the jaunty accent, the dancing (I wish I was graceful and coordinated enough to do a little Riverdance) and yes – the beer (their special way of making coffee is also pretty delicious 😉 ). DH and I went on a trip there right after Christmas 2009 and that just affirmed my love even more. It’s one of my favorite places in the whole world.

This recipe features one of those great Irish exports – Guinness beer. Thanks, Arthur Guinness, on behalf of St. Patrick’s Day revelers everywhere for drawing up that 9,000 year lease on your brewery. Stews featuring beef and Guinness are popular with Irish folk. Hey, it’s cold there and this is something great to warm you up!

In a large glass dish, combine 1 cup of the Guinness, mustard, rosemary, and bay leaves. Add the beef cubes, stir to coat, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Drain the meat and discard the marinade. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Brown the meat in batches, 3 to 5 minutes on each side, then transfer to a large casserole dish. Add the butter to the skillet, and when it foams, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, or until browned. Add the celery and carrots and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until tender. Reduce heat to simmer, stir in the flour, and cook for 2 minutes, or until blended. Add the remaining 2 cups Guinness, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Pour the vegetables over the meat, cover, and cook for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Stir occasionally, and add a little more Guinness if the stew seems dry. Adjust seasonings and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Serves 6